Mobile electronic communication devices such as, for example, cellular telephones, pagers, hand-held computers and personal digital assistants are generally sold to consumers with a standard housing that does not include any significant functionality other than as a container that houses the internal electronics and perhaps some ornamental designs and/or markings that label buttons or indicate trademarks or trade names.
In some cases, a user may be able to change the external appearance of some mobile electronic communication devices through the use of interchangeable faceplates that form part of the housing. These faceplates do not have any significant functionality beyond its ornamental design (including color, texture, and contours). These faceplates are typically formed from molded plastic with holes or openings to accommodate user-operation of buttons, displays, microphones and speakers of the mobile electronic communication devices. Such faceplates do not otherwise interact with the electronics of the mobile electronic communication device.